Moto Woodworks is a custom woodworking and laser engraving business. It’s my side hustle. Maybe it will grow into something bigger, but this is the very beginning. The point is that I’m getting off my butt and starting the journey now!
My woodworking roots
Woodworking has been a hobby of mine ever since I bought my first house. That’s how it starts for a lot of people. You just put the bulk of your savings into your first house and now you need a bunch of furniture. Once you see how much furniture costs, you start to think about building it yourself.
I built some bookshelves, a bed frame, and a small table. It was all crap, of course, but it was my very affordable crap. As I got better and acquired more tools, I took on bigger and more advanced projects. I built a workbench, a poker table, and finished my garage.
When I got married, we bought a bigger house with a bigger garage. I built another workbench, some cubbies for coats and shoes, and a nursery with lots of shelves and storage. Then I built a play set with swings and a slide, a raised-bed garden, an outdoor storage box for gardening supplies, a bench and cabinets for our mud room, and more.
The turning point
I’m often asked what the turning point was. When did I move from woodworking as a hobby to woodworking as a business?
That would be 2018 when my wife and I bought a 30-year old preschool. It was a healthy business (still is), but it needed a lot of work. It forced me into a different kind of woodworking. I was no longer creating stuff for me or my family. The school staff were like customers placing orders to have this problem resolved or that need addressed.
It was a huge change for me because I had gotten comfortable doing things how and when I wanted. Suddenly, I had to account for the critical eyes of customers as well as the wear and tear imposed by preschool-aged children.
At this point, I’ve built and repaired hundreds of chairs, tables, cubbies, desks, sink cabinets, signs, shelves, and more. I’ve done more work on decks and fencing than I care to remember. What else? Picnic tables, stairs, gates, storage sheds, a bench swing, and even a Little Library. Lots of plumbing and electrical work too, but that’s beside the point.
It’s enough that I consider myself more than a woodworking hobbyist. But I’m not a pro – I haven’t had the opportunity to focus on cabinetry, fine furniture, trim carpentry, or any one aspect of woodworking. The phrase, “Jack of all trades, master of none” comes to mind. Part of my journey is embracing the wide array of projects that come my way, and using that experience to push Moto Woodworks forward.
Laser engraving and cutting
I knew from the beginning I needed to differentiate myself from all of the professional woodworkers. That’s how I got interested in lasers.
Lasers introduce a more technical element to the business. In addition to the hardware of the laser machine, there’s the software to create graphic designs (eg, Adobe Illustrator) and convert the graphic designs into files that can be read by the laser (eg, Lightburn). I’ve made a career in software startups, so I’m eager to leverage my technical skills.
Moto Woodworks operates at this intersection of woodworking and lasering. I’m still vetting product ideas, but I’m optimistic about business signs and educational tools. I’m particularly excited about working with the staff at our school to create products that better support our teachers and students.
It’s about the journey, not the destination
There’s so much more to talk about, particularly as it relates to starting up the business. How did I come up with the name? How did I design the logo? How did I choose my first laser? Why don’t I have a YouTube channel?
I’ll get to those things eventually. All part of the Moto Woodworks journey. I just needed to establish a starting point. And so it is with a great sense of accomplishment that I check the box that says “publish first blog post.”
